Highland job losses – Reverse cuts and fight for public ownership

Sean Robertson, Highland Socialist Party Scotland 

The Covid-19 outbreak is wreaking economic and social havoc in the Highlands. The region is heavily reliant on tourism as a driver of economic activity with the sector representing more than 10% of all business in the region.

Due to travel bans and advice to close pubs, clubs, restaurants, theatres and cinemas, hundreds of workers in the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors are facing job losses or loss of earnings.

Many in tied accommodation are facing homelessness as moribund capitalism fails dismally to deal with the consequences of coronavirus. 

On Thursday 19 March, staff at the Coylumbridge Hotel, near Aviemore, which is owned by the massive hotel corporation Britannia Hotels, were sacked.

To rub salt into their wounds, staff were told by management to leave the hotel accommodations immediately, meaning many were instantly homeless.

The action resulted in widespread criticism from the public on Twitter when a letter sent to one staff member, Alvarito Garcia, from Madrid, was published in a series of tweets.

Many workers were from other European countries such as Spain and are unable or unwilling to travel home due to travel restrictions – making their situations even more insufferable.

The job losses at Coylumbridge are not a one off and are likely to be replicated across the region as visitor numbers dwindle .

A similarly uncertain picture is emerging in the leisure sector as Highland council had to step in to safeguard 200 jobs at it’s flagship arms length theatre, Eden Court.

The staff at Eden Court are to be redeployed but staff at Moray Leisure are not so lucky. 31 staff at the newly built Elgin Sports Centre have been made redundant due to the virus.

Under capitalism, profit for shareholders is the only motive driving large corporations like Britannia Hotels and workers are expendable. When making profit is impossible, workers are thrown on the scrap heap, 

However, another type economy is possible and necessary. Through socialism all jobs in the Highlands, including those in the hospitality and leisure industry, could be protected.

Large businesses such as Britannia Hotels would be taken into democratic public ownership under workers’ control.

Surpluses produced by tourism would be used to ensure all workers in the sector continue to be paid and their accommodation needs met.

Leisure businesses owned by local authorities such as Eden Court and Moray Leisure would be properly funded by reversing all local authority cuts and staff would be fully paid.

Highland and Moray councils should use reserves and borrowing to temporarily fund a reversal of all service cuts and mount a campaign, together with trade unions and community campaigners, to demand the hundreds of millions of pounds of pounds stolen from them by central government is returned.